NetApp helps organisations transition to any cloud environment

Veronica C. Silva |
June 22, 2011

Solutions are good for the public, private or hybrid cloud.

As more organisations become more convinced of the benefits of a cloud set-up, NetApp is positioning itself as the provider of solutions to help chief information officers (CIOs) effect the transition.

Whether an organisation opts for the public or private cloud, or a combination of both, NetApp said it can help with software management solutions and its network of partners.

NetApp said it is improving technologies within its NetApp OnCommand management software that control, automate, and analyse the shared storage infrastructure for greater optimisation and service efficiency. It is also expanding its Alliance Technology Partner Program to include partners who are also offering cloud solutions.

Val Bercovici, cloud czar at NetApp, said enterprises and government organisations alike are considering transitioning to a cloud computing environment, and seeking providers, such as NetApp, to help set up the infrastructure. Bercovici added that IT leaders are preparing for the transition as they try to address business demands, including expansion.

New technologies

The new NetApp OnCommand unified manager allows organisations to create storage service catalogue and provides policy-based automation for better infrastructure utilisation. The new NetApp OnCommand Insight provides analytics for storage so that IT managers can be guided on how to better optimise the cloud environment.

NetApp is positioning its NetApp Unified Storage Architecture as the storage foundation for cloud computing. With this storage solution and the Data ONTAP, NetApp said organisations can set up a private cloud infrastructure at its own pace without disrupting their IT infrastructure.

On hand to support the organisations as they transition to the cloud is NetApp's network of partners. NetApp said nearly 20 of its cloud partners have integrated their solutions with its management software solutions.

"Today's NetApp announcements focusing on service automation and analytics are destined to be a cornerstone for any cloud environment because these capabilities along with adjoining partners' feature sets help optimise service levels at the lowest possible cost," said Steve Duplessie, founder and senior analyst, ESG.

Duplessie added that cloud computing could be the answer to the perennial question on return on investment on IT infrastructure.

"Our research consistently shows that material business process improvements and cost reductions are the easiest way to justify IT investments. The promise of cloud implementations, including private, public, and hybrid approaches, is to deliver on both: making business more agile while making IT more efficient. Thus there are substantial pressures and opportunities for those organisations and cloud service providers to build innovative, economic and secure infrastructures," said Duplessie.